Multi season $

[bobcat]

Sure there's a difference betweeen archery and muzzleloaders in the distance you can shoot, but it's not as extreme as many people think.  50 yards is a good maximum distance for archery, and 100 yards is the real limit for MOST people with a muzzleloader. They might say different but shooting at game is different than shooting at paper.

[jstone]

yep. i agree.

[Bob33]

Whether muzzleloaders are a little more effective, or a lot more effective begs the same question: why is archery equipment not allowed during muzzleloader seasons?

[bobcat]

I guess because if it was, it could no longer be called a muzzleloader season.   

[Seabeckian]

Sure there's a difference betweeen archery and muzzleloaders in the distance you can shoot, but it's not as extreme as many people think.  50 yards is a good maximum distance for archery, and 100 yards is the real limit for MOST people with a muzzleloader. They might say different but shooting at game is different than shooting at paper.

I agree with your opinion in a lot of areas bobcat, but we will have to agree to disagree here. For me, I feel great with my DXT to 70 yards under the right conditions. With my muzzleloader 150 is no problem under like conditions. I realize some people shoot better and some shoot worse. But on average... it seems as though almost everyone agrees (including yourself) that you can double your effective range with a muzzleloader. I can't think of anyone that's spent much time in the woods that would deny that huge advantage. Think about how many times you have had your bow in hand looking at a good animal and thought, "crap, I could pull that shot with a muzzleloader." Every elk season I find myself thinking that.

That's why I'm so happy I drew the multiseason, I won't be able to complain about the advantages other seasons have over mine this year. 

[Bob33]

I guess because if it was, it could no longer be called a muzzleloader season.   

Both muzzleloaders and archery equipment are allowed during "modern" seasons...

[bobcat]

I agree with your opinion in a lot of areas bobcat, but we will have to agree to disagree here. For me, I feel great with my DXT to 70 yards under the right conditions. With my muzzleloader 150 is no problem under like conditions. I realize some people shoot better and some shoot worse. But on average... it seems as though almost everyone agrees (including yourself) that you can double your effective range with a muzzleloader. I can't think of anyone that's spent much time in the woods that would deny that huge advantage. Think about how many times you have had your bow in hand looking at a good animal and thought, "crap, I could pull that shot with a muzzleloader." Every elk season I find myself thinking that.

That's why I'm so happy I drew the multiseason, I won't be able to complain about the advantages other seasons have over mine this year. 

Well, I agree with all that you just said. I could shoot 150 yards with my muzzleloader if it had a scope on it. But with open sights, I can't  see well enough past 100 yards. My sight covers up almost the entire animal at 150 yards.

[Swatson]

Theirs no argument over which one has an advantage!  Obviously both have come a long ways over the years but if you have a consistent/effective range of even just 100 yards your way ahead of the archery game!  I'd have my elk every year if I could smack one at 100 yards.  For the guys flinging arrows at live critters at more than 70 yards...I'm not gonna start an argument but probably not the smartest thing to do.  Sure I can go out on the range and fling them all day long at ranges like that but too many variables while actually hunting.  I guess I'm just not willing to increase my odds of wounding and losing an animal.  Lost a very nice bull once(at 30 yards) and am still sick to my stomach 7 years later.

[deerslyr]

Bob, you were saying that archery had several advantages over muzzleloading as well as saying you max range with your muzzleloader was at 75 yards and many archers take shots at ranges over that, so IMO you were implying that muzzleloading was at the same level if not harder than archery hunting. Maybe im way off on thinking that but thats the way I took it. 50 yards I would say is a max for most archers and I dont know many people who shoot over that but yet people make it out like everyone with a compound in there hands is shooting at 80 yards. I see your point when you say theres only a small difference in range (50 yds for achers and 100 for muzzys) but when it comes down to a hunting situation closing that last 50 yards is way more difficult than most would think. I had a rude wake up call when I went from muzzy to bow in closing the distance to under 50 yards.

[pianoman9701]

One thing that irritates me is that you can't use a bow during muzzleloader season. The multiseason tag would be a lot better deal, for me at least, if the department would change this rule. It doesn't make any sense to me as to why you can't use a more primitive weapon like you can during modern firearm season.

I believe it's because you can reload a bow faster than a MF.

[pianoman9701]

A good friend of mine called me yesterday saying he'd drawn the multi-season deer but was hesitant to buy it since if he gets drawn for a quality or buck hunt, the #180 was a waste. I had to agree. Since you only have one tag, you've got to think hard about how you're going to use it.

I don't think you have to pay until Sept 1st. He should still apply and then not get his multi-season if he draws the quality tag. Am I correct here?

[Alan K]

I don't think you have to pay until Sept 1st. He should still apply and then not get his multi-season if he draws the quality tag. Am I correct here?

That sounds right, it would be his best option.

[sakoshooter]

I do not own a muzzleloader but have shot a few friends over the years at 100yds. Darn easy to be accurate off a bench. Rifles shot a plenty. Archery for many years and yes, this new equipment makes it much more easy to be accurate and adds some distance but 50 - 60yds still seems about max for a hunting situation. As easy as it was to hit the bull at 100yds with a muzzleloader, I'd have to guess it wouldn't be that hard to hit a deer or elk with a good rest at 150+.
As for open sights at 100yds, hell I shoot my Ruger Blackhawk .357 at the ram sillouettes at 200yds off a solid rest and that isn't that hard either. It won't knock em down but you can certainly hit them regularly.
Raking and shoulder shots can be taken with a muzzleloader also and should not be taken with a bow most of the time. That eliminates quite a few opportunities with a bow that are available with a muzzleloader.
Since we can hunt with any weapon during modern season, I think it should be called multi-weapon season.

[fair-chase]

In the overall scheme of things I do think that archery is a bit harder. I also don't fault the archery guys for having month long seasons. They have a much larger user base and therefore have a greater influence on their seasons. That's just the way polotics works. Money + People = month long seasons.  I also love muzzy elk season. I will take that one week at the beginning of October over a month of September any day. The only real gripe I have with our muzzy seasons is the lack of available GMU's. The concentration of muzzle loaders into a few units is really getting to be a problem and in some area's is starting to resemble the modern rifle season. A better comparison might be the volleys at a civil war reenactment. LOL.

So I guess I will rest on the argument of which one is worse and concede to the archery guys. I guess I'm just jealous of the bargaining power that the larger user group has on available areas and seasons.

[blackveltbowhunter]

There is a reason that ( in my circle at least ) alot of the guys who make a switch from MF, go to muzzle. If they do try archery for most its a one shot deal, and then back to MF or pick up the muzzle.